BORIS JOHNSON is under growing pressure to close all UK schools, as he initiates the "delay phase" of the coronavirus response.

Boris Johnson chaired an emergency COBRA meeting on coronavirus on Thursday and escalated the country’s response to coronavirus. The Government has moved to the “delay phase”. During this he hinted we are facing the real prospect of new measures such as school closures, cancelling public events and urging employees to work from home where possible. It comes as teachers have been told to prepare “home-learning packs” for students, amid fears schools could be closed for more than two months.

Home learning packages being prepared to be sent to school children in China due to school closures after coronavirus outbreak (Image: PA)

Study materials being packed to deliver to students of primary and middle schools in China during the coronavirus outbreak (Image: PA)

Speaking to an audience of health experts at a Nuffield Trust think tank conference, Mr Whitty said: “Everybody knows that the kinds of things you consider – reducing mass gatherings, school closures, which may or may not be appropriate for this particular virus…

“Because one of the things, frankly, with this virus much more so than flu, is whatever we do we’re going to have to do for quite a long period of time, probably more than two months. And the implications of that are non-trivial. So we need to think that through.”

Yesterday the World Health Organization confirmed the coronavirus outbreak has been labelled a pandemic.

WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the number of cases outside China had increased 13-fold in two weeks.

He said he was "deeply concerned" by "alarming levels of inaction".

Coronavirus UK: Over 460 cases have been confirmed (Image: Express)

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More than 326,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Government to close all schools in the UK to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The petition, launched by Sami Attout, urges Mr Johnson to take a more "proactive" response to the outbreak.

Former cabinet minister Rory Stewart has joined those urging the Government to announce the immediate closure of UK schools.

He also called on all "medium and large gatherings" of people to be cancelled.

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The delay phase, that has now been initiated by the Government, aims to slow the spread of coronavirus and allow the NHS to adequately prepare.

It would provide a buffer to a possible vaccine to be developed, although one is not expected to come into use for at least another year.

A Department for Education spokesperson said they have not yet issued advice to prepare for closures, adding: "As the Chief Medical Officer has said, the impact of closing schools on both children’s education and on the workforce will be substantial, but the benefit to public health may not be.

“Decisions on future advice to schools will be taken based on the latest and best scientific evidence, which at this stage suggests children are a lower risk group.

“The advice from Public Health England continues to be for schools to remain open, unless advised otherwise.”